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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2008 > September > 12
Friday, September 12, 2008
Dann must pay back $40,610, Brunner says
Former attorney general Marc Dann illegally converted campaign funds for personal use and he must pay back $40,610 within three weeks or the case will be referred to the Ohio Elections Commission, Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner’s office said Friday, Sept. 12.
Using the campaign fund to pay for a home security system, including new windows and doors, was not an appropriate or legal use of the fund, according Curt Mayhew, Brunner’s campaign finance administrator. The letter is part of an on going audit of Dann’s 2007 campaign fund reports.
Mayhew also asked Dann for clarification on cell phones paid for out of the fund and who owns and uses a Pontiac Torrent paid for by the campaign. He also wants to know if the Pontiac will be sold now that Dann is no longer in office.
In a letter to Dann sent Sept. 12, Mayhew also asked for more information on $26,871 in consulting fees paid to Progressive Solutions Group, a political firm owned by Leo Jennings III. Dann hired Jennings, a personal friend, as his communications director and shared a suburban Columbus apartment with him and Tony Guiterrez, another Dann friend and high ranking aide.
Dann, a Democrat, resigned under pressure in May in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal. Dann and his administration are under investigation by the Ohio Highway Patrol, Ohio Ethics Commission and state Inspector General.
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Gantt sports hot new look
He’s got the look, and he’s hoping it spreads.
Montgomery County Republican Party Chairman Greg Gantt (right) is sprouting freshly-grown facial hair. He’s dubbed it a “Palin-tee”, to show support for Todd Palin, (left) the goateed spouse of Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin.
“I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to watch your wife be the subject of the most vicious, unfounded political attacks in recent history,” Gantt said.
He wants members of the county party’s central committee - at least the male members - to join him and grow “a little hair on their chins” through the November 4 General Election.
Gantt, who typically goes with the clean-shaven look, admits he’s having a bit of a difficult time with the new hair.
“It’s beginning to make me itch,” he said.
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Is Boehner’s leadership position in peril?
The Hill opines in its Friday, Sept. 12 edition.
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Voinovich, Brown favor Clean Ohio
U.S. Sens. George Voinovich and Sherrod Brown on Monday Sept. 15 will come out in support of Clean Ohio, a statewide ballot issue. The senators will serve as honorary co-chairmen of the Clean Ohio Campaign.
The Clean Ohio Fund will provide $400 million in funding to conserve waterways and wildlife habitats, preserve family farms, create recreational trails and clean-up polluted industrial sites.
The issue is also backed by Gov. Ted Strickland, House Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering, and Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland.
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Obama campaign features female headliners
Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but Democrat Barack Obama’s presidential campaign in Ohio has a female look this weekend.
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, daughter of former Ohio Gov. John J. Gilligan, will be featured at a Columbus rally on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 10:15 a.m. and then hold town hall economic forums in Columbus, Marion and Rossford.
Then on Sunday, Sept. 14, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York will be in Ohio for rallies in Elyria, where the doors open at 11:30 a.m., and Akron, where doors open at 2 p.m.
Tickets are not required for the Elyria and Akron rallies, but RSVP is encouraged.
For Elyria, visit http://oh.barackobama.com/lorainchange. For Akron, visit http://oh.barackobama.com/akronchange.
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Brunner to hold hearing on payday lending issue
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner’s office will hold a hearing to determine whether the payday lending referendum should be kept off the Nov. 4 ballot.
Consumer groups opposed to the issue filed a protest, saying the payday lenders hired Arno Political Consultants to circulate the petitions but that company failed to file the proper disclosure paperwork.
“We are looking into their allegation,” said Kim Norris, spokeswoman for the payday lenders. “We continue to follow all Ohio election laws.”
Ohioans for Financial Freedom, the payday lending group, need 241,365 valid signatures from registered Ohio voters to make the ballot. They turned in 422,000 signatures that are now being checked by local county boards of elections. The counties are expected to report back to Brunner early next week.
Referendum backers put a hold on the section of a new law that would limit payday lenders to a maximum 28 percent interest rate. They can continue charging 391 percent - $15 for every $100 borrowed for two weeks.
A “yes” vote on the ballot issue would limit lenders to the new 28 percent interest cap while a “no” vote would allow lenders to keep the 391 percent cap.
Meanwhile, Montgomery County Board of Elections Director Steve Harsman said only about 38 percent of the payday lending signatures turned out to be valid in Montgomery County. Elections board workers also found “quite a bit of potential fraud” that will be turned over to Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck for investigation, Harsman said.
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Palin, McCain coming back to Ohio
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will spend part of next week raising money in Dayton.
Palin will be at a fundraiser in the Dayton area Wednesday, Sept. 17th at 8 a.m. at the home of Ed Hughes, 5057 Rolling Woods Trail, Dayton. The fundraiser is sponsored by McCain-Palin Victory Ohio. For information, call (614) 449-9541 or (614) 532-5190. Minimum cost to attend is $1,000.
Palin will also attend Republican National Committee fundraisers at Canton on Sept. 15 and Cincinnati on Sept. 16.
Sen. John McCain and Palin will participate in a “Victory 2008 Rally” in the Youngstown area on Tuesday, Sept. 16. The rally will be at Winner Aviation, 1453 Youngstown Kingsville NE in Vienna. Doors will open at 1 p.m., and the event will start at 4 p.m. To RSVP or for more information, call (614) 441-8622.
Tickets will be available Saturday afternoon at to-be-determined locations. For more information, check at ohio.johnmccain.com.
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Dems target 7th District race for extra funds, support
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee this week tagged the open seat to replace retiring U.S. Rep. David Hobson for its national “Red to Blue” program, a program that highlights key races that the Democrats plan to focus on this fall.
Sharen Neuhardt, the Miami Twp. Democrat running for the seat, will get extra cash from the national party as a result of the pick, as well as extra support.
According to the DCCC, “The ‘Red to Blue’ program highlights top Democratic campaigns across the country and offers them financial, communications and strategic support These candidates earned a spot in the program by surpassing fundraising goals and skillfully demonstrating to voters that they stand for change and will represent new priorities when elected to Congress.”
Neuhardt said she was honored to receive the support.
“This honor reflects what I’ve been hearing from voters - this is not the same old 7th Congressional District,” she said. “People are ready for change and I plan to bring it.”
Neuhardt will face state Sen. Steve Austria, R-Beavercreek in November. Austria’s campaign manager, Brad Mascho, cited polls showing Austria ahead of Neuhardt as an indicator that “the Democratic party in Washington is clearly out of touch with our district.”
“The 7th District has been represented by a Republican since 1939 and this year voters are ready to send a business-minded person with experience to Congress, not a liberal attorney from Yellow Springs,” he said.
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Ohio poll: McCain gets the edge
One day after Quinnipiac University released a poll giving Sen. Barack Obama the edge among Ohio voters, the Ohio Poll, sponsored by the University of Cincinnati, reports Sen. John McCain in the lead.
The Ohio Poll, released Friday, Sept. 12, finds that 48 percent of Ohio’s likely voters support Republican McCain, while 44 percent back Democrat Obama.
The poll also found that 23 percent of likely voters may still be up for grabs; 19 percent say they might change their mind and four percent are undecided. Seventy-seven percent, meanwhile, say they will definitely vote for the candidate they have chosen.
The Ohio Poll was conducted between Sept. 5 and Sept. 10.
